India Travel – Information, Tips & Advice

Introduction to India

No one ever goes to India and comes back un-moved - anyone who says a trip to India "was OK" is lying. That is not to say India is always wonderful, but it is always totally in your face, completely fascinating and totally and utterly different from anywhere else you have been.

I left India knowing that if I didn't leave I would have a complete screaming fit at the next person who asked me my name, I also left knowing that I would have to return - the place is just indescribable. I think what makes India different is that English is still the lingua franca of the country. You can easily communicate in English a circumstance you may begin to regret after the day's 25th conversation about your age, marital status, number of children and projected annual income. This hub is designed as only brief introduction to India for the traveler - the Lonely Planet's current guide to India is a very thick book and India is a very large country! India is the seventh largest country in the world with 1,000,000,000 people and an area of 3,287,590 sq km (1,269,338 sq miles) It would take several years to see everything and and probably a year to see most of it but that is one of the joys of India!

A note on place names. Ever since the British left in 1947 the Indians have been reclaiming their place names to the local form I have tried to used the current common usage with the old name in brackets e.g. Mumbai (Bombay).

Wedding Singers

Delhi Street Scene

Mysore Palace

Ooty Train

Goa Beach

India's Highlights

Although India is huge and varied and complex there are a handful of highlights that most tourists head for, and with just cause.

Delhi, Rajasthan, Agra

New Delhi is India's capital and a major airline gateway. It is also conveniently located near to both the famous desert region of Rajasthan with its ex-princely towns of Jaipur and Udaipur and India's most visited attraction, the famous Taj Mahal at Agra. Expect to see lots of beautiful building and desert landscapes. Best time to visit in the winter when it's cooler, November to February.

Southern India, Kochi, Hill Forts, Goa

Southern India was Christian before the British arrived giving the area a totally different feel to the Hindu north. Includes historical Kochi (Cochin), the temples of Mysore and the ex-British Raj at Pondicherry and Ootacamund. The beaches of Goa (which was a Portuguese possession until the 1960's) have been a favourite since the hippies discovered them. Best time to visit November to May avoiding the monsoon.

Northern Hills Ladakh, Dharamsala, Shimla

The remote mountainous area of Ladakh is only accessible once the snow melts in June. Dharamsala is the home of the Tibetean Dalai Lama in exile and has a large Tibetean population which makes the town unique in India. Shimla (Simla) is an old British hill town at the top of the hill served by a British era narrow-gauge railway. Both of these get cold in the winter so are best visted in the warmer months, May to Septemer.

India

Type of Trip

India has a happy combination of well-developed local tourist infrastructure and a very good value for money destination. This means for the same daily rate as a self-drive, stay at Motel 6 trip in US or Europe, in India you could hire a driver, stay in 4 star hotels and eat in the best restaurants. One of the delights of India is whether you are chilling on the beach in Goa or staying at Maharajah's palace in Rajasthan you can still be having a good time at all different levels of expenditure.

Pre-Booked Holiday

With many European budget airlines flying direct to Goa from the UK and Europe there are numerous options for that week in the sun for vitamin D starved Europeans! Alternatively there are numerous tours typically 2 to 3 weeks long with well-known operators such as Intrepid. These tours offer a comfortable and easy, though not cheap, way to experience India. Tip: even if you don't intend to travel with them, a large tour operators brochure or website will give you great ideas for your own trip planning!

India itself has many tours for local tourists ranging from a day's city tour of Delhi to week long trips, sometimes with a religious (Hindu) theme to them. This would certainly be a lot cheaper option than going with a well-known western company. For example India Rail offers a 4 days Delhi - Shimla return trip for approximately US$190 including accommodation, train and bus travel and some meals. It is likely that your fellow travellers will be middle class English speaking Indians so it could well be a more interesting experience than travelling with your fellow compatriots.

Independent Travelers

It is sometimes suggested that if you do not arrange all your hotels, tours and ground transport before leaving home you are a backpacker surviving on US$10/ day (still possible in India BTW). In fact in India, in particular, its very easy to organise a much more comfortable trip for yourself including first class train travel, the occasional car and driver and a comfortable middle of the range hotels and restaurants may cost you $30-$45 / day per person. The trick to organising your trip yourself is to be informed but to not over-book. A good guidebook is useful but don't be totally dependent on it- a recommendation in a book with huge pulling power can rapidly lead to a decrease in quality and an increase in price of the "recomendee"! Be aware of any major festivals or holidays that will make it impossible to get a train ticket or a hotel room, but don't try to plan every last detail. The number one thing you can do in India to be miserable is to try to do too much too quickly or travel too fast. It doesn't really matter how much you need the train or bus to leave on time- it will leave when its ready to leave!

Market, Mysore

Crossing the Road

Travel Tips for India

Pre-departure

As for any overseas travel have a medical/dental/optical check-up to avoid nasty surprises on the road. Have any recommended shots for India: a minimum is usually a booster to Tetanus and TB and a hepatitis shot if you don't have a current one. Check with a specialist in travel medicine. Bring your glasses /contact lens prescription with you and pick up a spare made in India for the fraction of the cost at home.

Check that your passport is valid for at least 6 months after your arrival date in India and that you have enough spare pages for visa stamps. Arrange your Indian visa and take out adequate travel insurance.

Bring as little as possible - ideally a carry on bag should be sufficient unless you are planning a serious trek to the Himalayas or many stays in up market hotels where you will be expected to dress for dinner. You can buy almost anything in India, tampons being a possible exception outside the cities.

On Arrival

India's time zone is GMT/UTC +5.5 so flying from almost anywhere in the world you will probably be jet lagged. Try to get onto India's time zone as soon as you leave home, try to eat and sleep on Indian time. Its easier if your flight arrives late in the day as you will probably want to sleep anyway. If you arrive early in the day try to stay awake and get out in the daylight - it helps the body's internal clock to reset. Have a short nap if you must but try to stay awake until about 8pm before crashing.

Get the equivalent of $100 in rupees cash before leaving the airport. Taxis don't take US$! You cannot legally import or export Indian currency.

Book a hotel for the first night. Use an international consolidator such as Hotel Club who offer good deals. Even on a low budget give yourself a nice hotel for the first night, 2 nights if arriving late, it allows you to ease into India. Take a pre-paid Taxi from the airport. Again there are cheaper ways to do it - but this stops the arguments about prices and meters.

Chill out - don't try to sight see and shop on your first day - relax wander around - try to get your head around India - practice crossing the road (see the video first!).

When in India

Accept that you are going to be the centre of attention where ever you go - you may think you are an olive-skinned brunette - but in India you will be immediately recognised as white. You can however make it easier on yourself by dressing conservatively or dressing like a local.

Remember that he concept of personal space is a western one and doesn't apply in a crowded country like India. You will be stared at and spoken to, they are curious not intrusive.

You will rarely see members of the opposite sex touch or hold hands in India, in contrast you will often see young men or women holding hands with the same sex. Kissing and being obviously affectionate in public is considered rude.

Cover your head (sometimes) and remove your shoes (always) before entering a temple or other religious building - this includes Christian churches.

If the touts get too much hire one, then the others will leave you alone. If you get a good one rickshaw wallah or guide doing this its probably a good idea to hang onto him for the rest of your stay in that town - you can be sure that he will suggest it!

Travel within India

The main international airports in India are: Mumbai (Bombay), Delhi, Kolkata (Calcutta) and Chennai (Madras).

Although Indian Airlines are the main internal carrier, India now has an open-skies policy which has led to many new cut-price airlines starting up and in some cases folding, stick with the better known ones.

India was built on the railway. Its is still the main form of long-distance transport in the country. There are numerous classes and trains varying from historic steam trains, quaint wooden narrow-gauge hill trains to sleek, ultra modern expresses. Basically the slower the train the less you pay - but all of them are great value. The system, though often described as a study in bureaucracy, is surprisingly efficient and now features E-tickets when booked over the Internet. Trains often have tourist and VIP quotas so you may often get on a "full" train when a local will not. A trip to India is not complete without a train ride.

There is also an extensive bus network with again buses ranging from super-deluxe to ordinary (very). One of the problems with the super-deluxe buses is the super cold air conditioning (bring a jacket) and the obligatory Hindi dance movie (at least you don't need the language to follow the plot, you've seen it before, as in Romeo and Juliet).

Keeping Safe

Despite the warnings of foreign governments regarding safety, India is a very safe destination. There are terrorists and bombings and disputed areas but these tend to occur near the Pakistani, Chinese and Bhutanese borders, areas where you won't often be allowed to go as a tourist anyway.

Petty theft is common and the pickpockets are very,very good. Do not carry large amounts of cash in your wallet or a back pocket. Do carry enough for a day or so expenses in a wallet in a front pocket and keep most of your wealth hidden. Be aware of who is watching when getting money from ATM's. Theft at knife or gun point is lot less likely than in countries such as the US or UK.

Although women may get stares, rude suggestions and the odd grope, you will be unlikely to be seriously threatened. If you get uncomfortable appeal for help from couples or women - the haughty "you talking to me" attitude is usually effective.

In cheaper hotels check that your windows and doors are secure before you take the room - you make want to bring your own padlock for added security.

The most dangerous thing you will probably do is take a bus or cross the road - watch the video if you don't believe me!

Summary

With apologies to Dickens: India is the best of places, the worst of places. India is special, its just as gorgeous and just as ugly as the photos and videos accompanying this story suggest. You may not enjoy every minute there but you will come away with memories that will last you a lifetime. If you have the chance go - you will not regret it.

Lis Sowerbutts has been traveling since age 7, and has to date travelled to over 55 countries. She firmly believes that traveling is too good to be left to the young and you are never too late to start traveling

India Resources

India Travel Guide - WikitravelWikitravel is an offshoot of Wikipedia and uses the same “wiki” principal of many authors create a better article than a single author. The India article has a lot of good general information is good place to start your research on India

India Travel Forum | IndiaMike.comThis is an enormous active forum with over 20,000 registered users and over 350,000 posts! It also includes a section of hotel reviews, travel blogs and some gorgeous photos.

VirtualTourist.com: India Travel GuideAlthough not the most elegant design and with way too many ads, this site has a lot of detailed information organised around common Indian destinations. Lists of information include not only hotels and attractions but also restaurants, tourist traps,

Indian Railways OnlineThe official Indian railways site including timetables, accommodations and online bookings. The front page doesn't look promising but the site is quite fast for checking train schedules and booking and you will be transferred to the slicker looking

TripAdvisor - India VacationsAnother enormous site which is the market leader for user reviews of hotels, restaraunts, tours and anything else tourism-related you can think of.

The Travel DoctorThis site has comprehensive general information on the pros and cons of vaccinations as well as fact sheets on everything from medical kits, to dealing with jet lag to, drinking and eating safely. Under “Your Vaccination Advisor” you can select your

Australian Travel Advisory SiteIncludes not only warning on terriorism and other violence but also health issues, petty theft and related matters. All of these sites tend to be a little over zealous and it sometimes interesting to see the differences between them.

Comments

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sending

Uday Patel

6 years agofrom Jabalpur, MP, India

Each part of my body is colored differently. Wow!tHATs India! Very descriptive hub of great value.

travel-O-grapher

6 years agofrom Dhaka, Bangladesh

very informative and interesting! i still havent travelled to india yet even though i live in neighbouring bangladesh but very interested to go to india for a photography safari at one time or other!

Rudra

7 years ago

India now is a better place to travel, resembling more like western countries.

Jenny

7 years ago

I was in india the last summer, and I can said that the descriptions are good but i think that in my experience it was more tough that his descriptions.

It's really crowded and dirty, shit everywhere.....!!! and people stare on you whereever you go, it's not a quiet place, it is noise, contaminated, the most chaotic country.

Thanks.

Jenny

Indian Railways Reservation

7 years ago

Your blog is very much good. I am very much impressed by your blog content, i also come across number of sites for the indian travel guide and indian railways, you can also check these are also very much useful for everyone.

yfguy

7 years agofrom Mallorca

i've never been to india till now, but i'm planning to visit in the next 2-3 years... looks like a beautiful place

ImChemist

7 years ago

This country is really beautiful. thanks for sharing this pictures.

Indian Railway

7 years ago

Indian Railway is the greatest charm of India.. I think to truly travel India we need to take this mode of transport.. explore the land.. the people.. the food... and the hospitality

jungle resorts

7 years ago

India is known for tourism. thanks for sharing the tips and guidelines for a better trip or to make trip safer and easier.

baghsarai

8 years ago

thanks for providing the tips for traveling, really you have done a great job like it.

Krishni

8 years ago

Thank you so much for your comments Lissie. I will be visiting India in 4 months and the information is helpful and practical. I cannot wait to reach my motherland.

Dinesh

8 years ago

Interpol Notice? So What? It does not makes any difference. 5 US Citizens are charged with Terrorism in Pakistan. If US would seek Red Corner Notice with Interpol, would Pakistan hand over 5 people to US without trial? Pakistanis are charged for Terrorism everywhere in the world. Would all Countries release Pakistanis because of Interpol Notice?

Curious Jen

8 years agofrom Canada/Nicaragua

I agree with AAJetMan India is like visiting another planet. I was there for a month about 10 years ago and I loved it. I should say that I grew to love it. I sent a postcard to a friend on the day I arrived saying India was a hell hole. After a few days of shock, I started to love it.

I loved the "purs" in Rajastan: Jodhpur, Jaipur and Udipur (sp?).

I have not formally planned another trip but I know that I will be back at some point soon.

AAJetMan

8 years ago

Loved your intro!! Good or bad, India will INDEED leave a distinct impression!

thrillophilia

8 years agofrom Bangalore

Hi,

I read your hub and must say that you have covered so many things about India, with some great pictures that even some Indians also don't know. I also love to explore the Indian beauty and hidden adventure here. In the same way i have collected some information and created some hub based on them. I hop you will read them and like them.

Dominic

8 years ago

Great tips Lissie!

Came across this article recently "40 Things I Wish I'd Known Before I Arrived In India". Interesting read from a recent visitor from Canada http://ow.ly/o32p

We run a network of homestays across India - a great way to experience the culture first hand.

I would add the Kerala backwaters as one of the highlights of South India - a beautiful relaxing place to take a break when the hustle and bustle of India gets too much. We didn't want to 'get back to the real world' after a night on a houseboat and 5 nights in a village homestay (no roads and noone trying to sell you anything!).

Tilly Holiday

9 years ago

Wow. India seems like an amazing place! This is a great hub too, an excellent primer, I especially enjoyed the section describing different societal norms. One hardly ever sees young men holding hands over here.

uganda-safari

9 years ago

Anything new for someone to see this Xmas in India? Could you suggest please? Otherwise, its an interesting article.

subodh kumar singh

9 years ago

Good and concise info on India ,

You missed out many important religious cities incase you have missed out plan your next visit to these cities

1. BENARES OR VARANASI ; CITY OF LORD SHIVA

2. ALLAHABAD : CITY OF SANGAM - WHERE GANGES MERGE INTO YAMUNA AND SARASWATI

3. HARIDWAR : CITY OF TEMPLES

4. AJMER : FAMOUS DARGAH

Disillusioned

10 years agofrom Kerala, India

Hi Lizzy,

Thanks for your visit and comments on my first (Printer/Ink) Hub and here I am.

Well! I should say, you have 'covered' India fairly well. Spirituality is essentially one of the blood lines of India. This prehaps you can explore and understand in your next visit.

There is a small factual error. South India is NOT predominabtly christian before arrival of British. It is wrong. South India ofcourse knew of and adopted christianity widely on account of arrival of Saint Thomas, a direct disciple of Christ, to India almost 2000 years ago.

By the way, check your link to this Article in your Home page. From there it takes me to Italy and not to India!

CVR

Clive Fagan

10 years agofrom South Africa

India is one of the few places I have not visited. I have a gap that spans a quarter of the globe which includes China, Japan, Far east, Australia, New zealand and ends at Hawaii. The world is so big and our time so short. I am planning to visit Budapest, Barcelona, cruise the Med to Istanbul and end up in Venice from late September to early October.

I hope to share some of my experiences in hub pages in due course.

My daughter spent a few months in India two years ago so I could vicariously share your experiences with some of hers giving me a nostalgia for something I haven't had.

Great Hub

AUTHOR

Elisabeth Sowerbutts

10 years agofrom New Zealand

Well I am not American but my country also outsources to India and on the internet I compete with English writers whose English is better than I and to whom $10/day is a fortune. Making generalisations between the quality of Indian and US workers is meaningless as the culture is so different: bare in mind though that the Taj Mahal is still often rated as the most beautiful building in the world! I actually see the ideas of freedom and fairplay in the US and India as very similar: but then as a New Zealander I find the dog eat dog world of US industry pretty alien! I think you have the makings of an excellent hub on an interesting topic... and sorry about the job, don't get bitter take it as an opportunity to do something new..

johnhappylife

10 years agofrom Chicago, Illinois U.S.A.

My job was recently outsourced to India, Pune to be exact. It has been my experience that the work quality coming out of there leaves much to be desired. I could just be bitter. I would be curios to know though what your feelings are toward American companies outsourcing jobs and how you feel the quality between U.S. and India workers match up. Also does the social and govenmental ideas of freedom and fairplay apply the same way in India as they do in the U.S.?

gss

10 years agofrom Florida

Very nice hub, thanks for sharing.

AUTHOR

Elisabeth Sowerbutts

10 years agofrom New Zealand

Thanks for visiting everyone. Ananmika I am honoured that an Indian is happy with the way I have described India: that really is a &quot;thumbs up&quot; - and yes shame on you for not writing about your home: get on to it!

Anamika S Jain

10 years agofrom Mumbai - Maharashtra, India

Wonderful Hub Lissie... As somebody rightly remarked you have written beautifully about India. I have travelled widely throughout India... and declare that I am proud to be an Indian...still I have not written a Blog or Hub on India. Shame on me..

lex123

10 years ago

Very informative hub!!

Rose

10 years ago

Great hub. I am always like to visit India atleast for a time. I would like to see all places from Buddha.

white atlantic

10 years agofrom INDIA

good work n there r many beautiful hillstations also

AUTHOR

Elisabeth Sowerbutts

10 years agofrom New Zealand

Thanks for you comments MSMS - yeah Southen India is a big place : I was referring to Cochin and Kerala as the Christian part! Obviously a great mixture of faiths these days! And yes Pondy was a French trading post!

msms

10 years ago

&quot;Southern India was Christian ( It is doubtful, you need to find and write correct. I am in South India and a Hindu) before the British arrived giving the area a totally different feel to the Hindu north. Includes historical Kochi (Cochin), the temples of Mysore and the ex-British Raj at Pondicherry ( Pondicherry was a French colony - not British) and Ootacamund.

Lissie I have written in Brackets my suggestions.

About Budhha, Where are his 'Stupas' Sarnath(UP), Gaya,(Bihar), Sanchi (MP), and where was his Head quarter- Near Lucknow in UP at .

Who spread Buddhism? King Ashok of Utkal. It will be a useleass debate on Buddha if we start that he was a NEPALI.

AUTHOR

Elisabeth Sowerbutts

10 years agofrom New Zealand

Hmm looks like you're right appears to be the commonly accepted birthplace of Budddha is Lumbini is situated at the foothills of the Himalayas in modern Nepal.

anuj1984

10 years ago

in regard to the comment by rudra, the first comment, rudra, do you want me to slap you in face and say that taj mahal is in nepal or china....

Rudra says:6 months agoDetailed good information. Here. Bihar is another place to go. Buddha was born and preached there.=========

BUDDHA WAS NOT BORN IN INDIA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

WHY ARE YOU INDIANS SO DETMAKE MOUNT EVEREST AN INDIAN MOUNTAINI AND EVEN LORD BUDDHA TO HAVE BEEN BORN IN INDIA....

THEY ARE BOTH FALSE.

I HOPE YOU CHECK YOUR FACTS BEFORE HAVING PRIDE IN SOMETHING YOU INDIANS DONT KNOW NOTHING ABOUT...

SORRY FOR THE RUDENESS OF THIS COMMENT.. TO TELL YOU FRANKLY.. I REALLY AM MAD...

solarshingles

10 years agofrom london

Thank you for so many useful information! I am going to India in 2 moths and I am looking forward to this travel, very much

Michelle Simtoco

10 years agofrom Cebu, Philippines

Yes english can generally be understood here since it is the mode of instruction in schools. Do come visit :-) And it would be interesting to see how a visitor would view it-- from your eyes. I await that hub!

AUTHOR

Elisabeth Sowerbutts

10 years agofrom New Zealand

I believe that China can be difficult but most places there is some English somewhere -though a bit of Spanish is useful in South and Central America. I understand the Phillipines has a lot of English speakers? I havne't made it there yet but its on my list!

Michelle Simtoco

10 years agofrom Cebu, Philippines

Hi Lissie, I really like the way you write your hubs. Again, I enjoyed this one. And you are absolutely right, it is so much easier to travel to a place where people can talk in english. When we went to China two years ago, I had to do an actionary just to ask for the restroom. Thank God we were in a tour group or else I'd never find my way back to the hotel. :-)

Peter M. Lopez

10 years agofrom Sweetwater, TX

You should be proud, Lissie.

Hovalis

10 years agofrom Australia

You are a cruel, cruel woman. *G*

AUTHOR

Elisabeth Sowerbutts

10 years agofrom New Zealand

Sorry, Hovalis, NOT!

Hovalis

10 years agofrom Australia

Great hub Lissie. After reading this I want to go to India. If I keep reading your hubs I'm going to end up with the travel bug, for sure. :-)

Amita Sharma

10 years agofrom India

You did wonderfull job really very nice info

AUTHOR

Elisabeth Sowerbutts

10 years agofrom New Zealand

Thanks jaygayatri - I was very aware that there are heaps of Indian hubbers here when I wrote this so I am glad you approve!

jaygayatri

10 years ago

i HATE HUBS TO INDIA TRAVEL FROM PEOPLE WHO RESIDE OUTSIDE INDIA. THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY. BUT LISSIE..... YOU DID A GREAT GREAT GREAT JOB, NICE HUB, YOU ARE WELCOME TO BE AN INDIAN.

mike king

10 years agofrom california

I go vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

good job, it really hooked me

thank you

AUTHOR

Elisabeth Sowerbutts

10 years agofrom New Zealand

You're love it or hate it - I guarantee it!

bloggerjb

10 years ago

Awesome, thank you. I'm going there in December and bookmarked your hub!

AUTHOR

Elisabeth Sowerbutts

10 years agofrom New Zealand

Thanks Maha - its always great to get feedback from the locals

Maha

10 years ago

Lissie.. that was a wonderful post. Am actually from Madras now in London on a short official visit. I think this is definitely a useful travel tip to overseas travellers on what to do or what not to do. And, I guess the road crossing video was taken in Hyderabad. Bravo, even I don't dare crossing roads now a days after being to England in Chennai (that's Madras) which is two times as much crowded as Hyderabad. Kudos - you are very adventurous.

AUTHOR

Elisabeth Sowerbutts

10 years agofrom New Zealand

One of things I really found different in India is that fact that English is so close to a native language for so many of the locals. It's great to see so many of year on HubPages too!

karhubpages

10 years agofrom India

Hai I am Karthi from India. I think you done a great job here.

Ashok Rajagopalan

10 years agofrom Chennai

Now you can write about the Xmas experience in another hub!

I am in Chennai, by the way, Lissie.

AUTHOR

Elisabeth Sowerbutts

10 years agofrom New Zealand

Thanks Ink - 1 year I arrived in Madras on Xmas Eve - a different Xmas that was!

ink

10 years ago

Nice hub, especially with the videos.

It's almost 20 years since I last visited India. I made 2 trips of 3 months each in consecutive years and loved the place. I've been to around 26 other countries, but India has always remained my favorite. It's true it takes a bit of getting used to, but the people are wonderful, the sights amazing and the experiences not to be forgotten. Much has changed since I was there, but nevertheless, I'd love to go again!

AUTHOR

Elisabeth Sowerbutts

10 years agofrom New Zealand

Oops - I knew that too!

Hannah Salomons

10 years ago

I am going to Calcutta this summer with my boyfriend who is Indian...very excited...good tip on the no hand-holding etc, he told me the same thing. Also, not to be an ass, but just as a note....the &quot;best of times/worst of times&quot; quote is Dickens, not Shakespeare. :) Great hub!

AUTHOR

Elisabeth Sowerbutts

10 years agofrom New Zealand

Thanks MrNice - yes Thailand is one of many favourite countries too!

Mr Nice

10 years agofrom North America

I visited india many year's ago it was very different then. I liked Chandrigarh, Amritsar & Bombay I found Delhi very polluted & dirty. But my overall experience was very good. However I like Thailand more than India. Thailand's culture is very different if you visit once you will visit again. That's why Thailand is known as land of happiness. However I would like to visit India again to see the difference. As for your hub, Nice hub, well written. Very interesting.

swapnahyd

10 years ago

Yes Hyderabad also Good place to visit

soyelude

10 years agofrom Lagos - Nigeria

Quite a detailed tour analysis. You did a good job on that hub. Can i invite you to Africa?

retireyoung

10 years agofrom Bali

I haven't been there yet, but everone says it is one of their favorite travel destinations? Have you read Shantaram?

AUTHOR

Elisabeth Sowerbutts

10 years agofrom New Zealand

I got as far as Dahmashala but we weren't allowed on the train to Kashmir - the war had just broken out that was 1989. Maybe some day!

nichesiteexpert

10 years agofrom San Diego

Great hub - I've always wanted to go to India, especially northern India and the Kashmir region and the Himalayas...

AUTHOR

Elisabeth Sowerbutts

10 years agofrom New Zealand

Thanks - yes there are just so many fantastic places to go in India! It would take a 100 hubs- now there's a thought!

Rudra

10 years ago

Detailed good information. Here. Bihar is another place to go. Buddha was born and preached there.

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Author Google Analytics

This is used to provide traffic data and reports to the authors of articles on the HubPages Service. (Privacy Policy)

Comscore

ComScore is a media measurement and analytics company providing marketing data and analytics to enterprises, media and advertising agencies, and publishers. Non-consent will result in ComScore only processing obfuscated personal data. (Privacy Policy)

Amazon Tracking Pixel

Some articles display amazon products as part of the Amazon Affiliate program, this pixel provides traffic statistics for those products (Privacy Policy)